Prithviraj Sukumaran's 'Aadujeevitham's pre-booking sales surpass Rs. 1cr
What's the story
The Goat Life (titled Aadujeevitham in Malayalam), a long-awaited project of National-award filmmaker Blessy, was first conceived in 2009 and put into production in 2018. Finally, it is now set to hit theaters on Thursday (March 28). Starring Prithviraj Sukumaran, this film narrates the real-life tale of Najeeb and his journey filled with tribulations in search of a better life. Advance bookings began with a bang on Saturday and have surpassed the Rs. 1cr mark already, reported OTTplay.
Context
Why does this story matter?
The forthcoming film is based on the namesake 2008 best-selling Malayalam novel by Benyamin. At the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF), director Blessy revealed that he has likely read the novel more times than the author himself. A highly-anticipated project, its production faced unexpected challenges when the crew found themselves stranded in the Jordan desert for 70 days in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amala Paul co-stars alongside Sukumaran.
Advance booking collection
Record-breaking pre-sales in just 13 hours
Pre-booking for Aadujeevitham started on a high note, with the film showing an impressive performance in early sales. Per reports, within the initial 13 hours of pre-sales, it hit the Rs. 1cr milestone in Kerala alone. According to trade experts and updates from What The Fuss X/Twitter handle, the Blessy-directed film raked in around Rs. 1.03cr and sold over 63,116 tickets during this short span.
Reasons behind success
Key factors behind 'Aadujeevitham's pre-sale triumph
Several factors are fueling the strong pre-sales of Aadujeevitham. These include Kerala's affection for Benyamin's novel Aadujeevitham; director Blessy's much-awaited return to feature-length cinema after 2013; Sukumaran's striking physical transformation for his role in the film; and a well-executed promotional campaign. The film is scheduled for global release in five languages and is shot in the deserts of Wadi Rum, Jordan, and the Sahara, Algeria.
Prediction
'Aadujeevitham' predicted to make big splash on opening day
Thanks to the impressive pre-release numbers and outstanding marketing efforts, this labor of love from Blessy and Sukumaran will likely get the grand premiere it deserves. However, in the Hindi market, the film might face stiff competition from Rajesh Krishnan's highly-anticipated directorial Crew, featuring leading Bollywood ladies: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Tabu, and Kriti Sanon. The comedy heist film also stars Diljit Dosanjh and comedian Kapil Sharma in supporting roles.